iPod
by sagittariusTITAN22
Summary: AU. Levi's birthday with a heart-wrenching twist. CONTAINS Ereri, character death, fluffy
1. Chapter 1

Eren led a blindfolded Levi down the hallway into the apartment they shared. Today was Levi's birthday and, as much as he had protested, Eren had thrown him a birthday party. Levi crossed his arms and sighed as Eren pushed him down the hall. They stopped in front of apartment 27D. Eren fished for the keys in his pocket while Levi tapped his foot impatiently. Though he couldn't see through the thick blindfold, Levi could hear the lock click and the door open. As they walked in and the door closed, Levi could smell cake and candles. Eren pulled the blindfold off.  
"Happy 25th birthday!" their small group of friends sat around a small table with a cake on it. Presents were piled under the table.  
"For me? I'm so surprised," Levi said sarcastically and forced a smile.  
"Aw, can it and blow out your candles!" Hanji said with a bubbly smile. Levi walked over and blew out the candles on the cake. Eld walked in from the kitchen with a stack of plates and a cake knife.  
After the cake had been eaten, they all gathered in the living room. Hanji sat on the floor holding a soda can and the small box she had wrapped like a drunk 5-year-old. Armin held a professionally wrapped box with a white bow on top. Petra, Olou, Eld, and Gunther sat on the couch with the gift they had jointly bought. Eren surrendered his La-Z-boy to Levi and sat on the floor, next to Hanji, holding an unwrapped white box.  
"Open mine first!" Hanji squeezed as she threw her box at Levi. He caught it, but whatever was inside rattled loudly. He opened it, treating it like it was a live bomb.  
"Spoons? Hanji...why?"  
"Eren said you needed silverware," she smiled.  
Eren blushed and let out a shy laugh as he took the box into the kitchen. When he rejoined the group, Armin handed Levi his gift. Levi carefully unwrapped the paper and opened the box. He pulled out a beige hoodie with the phrase "Like A Boss" in bold navy blue on the front. Before Levi could speak, there was a knock on the door. Eren opened it and Mikasa walked in.  
"Sorry I'm late. My car is in the shop so I had to call a cab. Then he was late, and then we hit traffic. But I'm here,"she flung a small green envelop at Levi before taking off her trench coat and trademark red scarf. She hung them on the coat rack and joined the group; standing next to Armin in the doorway.  
"An iTunes card. I'll put it with the others," Levi had a desk drawer full of unused cards.  
"Our turn!" Petra, Eld, Olou, and Gunther sang in unison and handed Levi their present: a blue gift bag overflowing with paw-print tissue paper. Al the paper fell on the floor as he pulled out whatever was inside. Levi's eye twitched as he looked over the messy room. He pulled out a pair of sleek white Beats headphones.  
"My favorite color," Levi said semi-sincerely with another forced smile.  
"Best for last," Eren chimed as he handed Levi his gift. Everyone leaned in as Levi popped the box open to reveal a blue iPod touch.  
"Now I know why you've been working so much overtime at the office. Here I thought you were hitting it off with the secretary in the broom closet," everyone laughed. Eren turned pomegranate red, but still laughed.  
Levi turned the iPod on to see that it already had two songs on it: "Titan" and "Be My Heichou". Both by Erwin Danchou (one of Eren's favorite artists). After continuous begging from the group, Levi opened iTunes and entered on all the gift cards. All 17 of them. After about five of so minutes, Levi's new iTunes account had over $150 in it. It was around 6:30 P.M. When everybody left. Levi was sitting on their black canvas couch watching a documentary on George Washington. Eren sat down on the couch next to him and wrapped his arms around Levi.  
"You could have been a _little_ happier," Eren said gently as he kissed Levi's right cheek lovingly. He could smell Levi's rosemary-mint shampoo.  
"You, of all people, know I hate birthday parties. The cleaning up especially."  
Eren tugged Levi off the couch and clicked the TV off.  
"Well on another note...we have a dinner reservation for 7:30 an Sina's. Your favorite," Eren smiled content lay as he grabbed his dark green military-style jacket and tugged Levi towards the door. He threw Levi's black and grey Nike running jacket at him.  
They locked the door and walked to the parking lot, agreeing to take Eren's car simply because he had all but begged Levi to let him handle everything. It was a dusty old Volkswagen Bug from 1992 his father got him for his first car. Levi detested both the muddy bronze paint and the dated white interior. But what he did enjoy about it was the cleanliness of it. Levi's own car was a 2013 BMW 328i. The grey interior matched the jet black exterior.  
The car ride was bumpy and there was a knocking under Levi's seat. The drive was only a half hour, even though they had to take the Maria overpass into the main part of the city. Eren switched the radio on and let Levi pick the station. It was no surprise he selected the classical station. In the distance, Eren saw a pair of blue headlights swerving through the lane, getting closer every second. Soon it-he could see it was a pick up truck-was in their lane...and it was speeding up. The distance was rapidly shrinking. Levi grabbed the "Oh Jesus" handle.

**TBC in Ch. 2**


	2. Chapter 2

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Eren slammed down the brake, wrenched the steering wheel to the right (putting himself in the path of the truck), and threw the clutch in park.  
As the car jolted to a stop, the truck rammed into Eren's door and caused the small Bug to roll over onto the other lane. Airbags popped open as they rolled across the road and Levi heard multiple brakes screeching and a guard rail break. The driver-side door flew off, Levi heard a seat belt snap, and saw Eren tumble out. He wanted to follow him, but the force of the rolling car held him back.  
The car slammed against the opposite rail and ,thankfully for Levi, landed on its wheels. It had rolled across all four lanes...and Eren was laying in the middle of two of them. Levi's door was facing the now stopped traffic; he was relieved to see that it was the pick-up that had flown off the over pass and not them. People were running out onto the road and looking down at Eren. A young woman was on the phone with 911.  
_I have to get to Eren,_ Levi thought.  
He gathered all the strength in him, and kicked his door open. The small crowd stared at Levi as he fell out of the car and crawled over to Eren. A large gash decorated the back of Levi's right calf. He didn't care that he kept cutting his hands on glass as he crawled. He didn't care that a few ribs were broken. All Levi cared about was getting to Eren. He reached Eren and rolled him onto his back. A large cut stretched across his forehead, his arm was bent at an odd angle. Glass flecked Eren's hair. The ambulances came and loaded Levi and Eren into separate truckss before driving off. Eren was semi-conscious but would periodically mumble Levi's name. One of the medics got onto the radio and called the other ambulance.  
"Hey 332...is the guy you got named Levi?"  
A moment of static while the other driver asked.  
"That's a yes. Is yours Eren?"  
Eren overheard and nodded weakly.  
"Yeah...that's his name."  
The two stretchers parted the doors as they sped into the ER. Levi went one way and Eren another. Levi's eyes followed Eren for as long as they could before everything faded out. He could hear faint yelling before completely losing consciousness.

It was muffled and sounded blurry. It got clearer though. A young woman, a nurse most likely, was calling his name. He didn't want to wake up be he did anyways. A black haired nurse was standing over him holding a binder. The name tag said Ymir.  
"Levi. Levi. Mr. Rivaille, can you hear me?"  
Levi's eyes opened slowly.  
"Good you're awake. You've been out for a day. Now we brought you in with..." Levi tuned her out. He looked down at his bandaged leg which was resting on a small pillow. He could see through the collar of the hospital gown and saw a large bruise on his left side from his broken ribs.  
"Levi?" Her question snapped him back to reality.  
"What?" He half whispered hoarsely.  
"The other man we brought you in with. We couldn't find any identification on him. Do you know his name?"  
"Eren...Jaeger. Where is he?"  
Ymir wrote that down on a paper in her binder. She walked over to the divider curtain to show Eren in the second bed.  
Wires grew from his body. A sling held his arm out to the side. A strap of gauze crossed his forehead. The oxygen mask cover ed his mouth and nose with its machine hissing quietly. Levi wanted to jump out of bed and run over to him but his body wouldn't listen. He felt a tear run down his cheek and saw the nurse look at him with sadness.  
"He...he was...protecting me," the words choked Levi.  
"I'm so very sorry."  
As soon as Ymir finished her sentence one of Eren's monitors beeped alarmingly. Ymir got on a phone and called for the CPR team. Moments later, two men ran in. One with a defibrillator and another with some supplies Levi didn't recognize. Levi watched in horror as the cut the gown open and began the routine. As they began to manually pump the oxygen, Ymir closed the curtain. Levi felt himself bawl and repeatedly call for Eren as if he could just walk in and comfort Levi. He was helpless to do anything. Levi's love-all of it- was dying just a few feet away from him. The doctors' efforts went on for another ten minutes. Then Levi heard all the commotion stop. The room fell pin-drop silent.  
"Call it. 3:58 P.M. March 11, 2013. Cover him up."  
Ymir walked through the curtain, a grim expression on her face. She didn't have to say anything for Levi to know. She bowed her head and Levi nodded. When she left he continues sobbing for Eren. Levi felt his hear legitimately break into a million tiny pieces.  
"Why did he have to protect me? He's such an idiot!" Levi's breath were short and ragged. His eyes were puffy and red. Levi hated crying; he couldn't even remembers the last time he did cry. He let himself calm down,"why did he have to leave me?" Levi whispered to himself.

Levi paid the cab driver and walked into his apartment. Their apartment felt empty and lonely. He set his keys in the blue bowl by the door. Levi walked over to Eren's red La-Z-Boy recliner and fell into it. The soft fabric smelled like Eren's cologne and Levi let his feelings drown him. Then he remembered the iPod. Pulling himself out of the chair he walked into their bedroom and almost laughed when he saw the bed. His side was neatly made while Eren's side was completely disheveled with a pillow on the floor. Levi found the iPod and headphones in the nightstand drawer. He put the the headphones on and played "Titan". Even listening to Eren's favorite music made the lump in his throat return. Levi bought every Danchou song he possibly could and before long he was asleep.  
A giggle woke Levi up. He snapped his eyes open with a start. He was lying in Petra's lap. She was looking down at him with her hand over her mouth, failing miserably at suppressing a laugh. Levi sat up and rubbed his eyes. Petra was still smiling.  
"What are you laughing at?" Levi asked as he got up and set the teapot on to boil.  
"You just look so...cute when you sleep."  
Levi rolled his eyes and got some mugs and teabags out of the cabinet. The teapot whistled shortly thereafter; Levi poured two mugs.  
He sat down on the couch next to Petra and handed her a mug. She wrapped her arms around him in a comforting bear hug. A loud knock broke the silence. Levi opened the door and was immediately sucked into one of Hanji's hugs. He dropped his mug and it spilled onto the carpet.  
"Everything will be alright Levi! The sun will continue to shine! The birds will continue to sing! Life WILL go on!"  
"Really Hanji?! I get that you're concerned, but was that really necessary?" Levi snapped as he broke free from one of Hanji's famous "black hole" hugs. He picked up the mug off the floor and put it in the sink. Levi laid some paper towels over the stain.  
"Jeez...what died in your tea tonight?" Hanji asked as she flopped down into the recliner. Levi lowered himself onto the couch next to Petra.  
"Wouldn't you be a little on edge if you had to plan your lover's funeral?" Levi asked rhetorically as he lowered his head into his hands.  
Petra's phone broke the awkward silence. After answering it she said that she had to return to the coffee shop she, Olou, Eld, and Gunther owned. Something about lunch rush and drowning in customers. Hanji and Levi sat alone in the apartment, neither knowing what to say.

Eren's funeral nearly killed Levi. What made it worse was delivering the eulogy. Eren's parents sat in the front row. Carla blotted her eyes with a handkerchief while Grisha stared blankly at Eren's casket. Both had flown over from Germany. Levi had met them before on holidays and it broke him to see them so sad.  
The iPod was in Levi's coat pocket. When he sat back in his chair, he turned it over in his pocket. Looking at the picture of Eren made him want to gouge his eyes out, but looking at the casket made him want to leave and lock himself in his room. When they lowered Eren down into the 6-foot abyss, Levi wanted to jump in and pull Eren out. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that Eren parents probably wanted to do that more.  
Levi kept fumbling with the iPod. It wasn't enough to make him accept the recent events, but it wasn't to much to be overwhelming. It was only a little reminder among many. Yet it was enough to keep Levi sane for now. That little blue iPod in Levi's pocket.

**_hi! omg I'm sorry the update was so late but apparently my teachers don't know I have a life. Anyways I hope u enjoyed. I'll becoming out with some Blue Exorcist fanfics soon too!_**


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